Ocean Springs school board approves construction of $5.4 million stadium

Updated September 11, 2018 at 7:45 PM;Posted September 11, 2018 at 7:25 PM

The Ocean Springs school board voted unanimously Tuesday night to move forward with construction of a $5.4 million football stadium, depicted here in a computer rendering, on the grounds of the current Greyhound Stadium. (OSSD)

OCEAN SPRINGS, Mississippi -- After months of deliberation and discussion, the Ocean Springs school board voted unanimously Tuesday night to proceed with construction of a new $5.4 million football stadium complex on the site of the current Greyhound Stadium.

Architect Hoppy Allred of Allred-Stolarski Architects told the board all plans and specifications for the new stadium were complete.

Allred said the project carries a base cost of $5.2 million, with another four add-ons possible depending on how much the bids are when they come in. He also said once the legally-required advertising period concludes, bids are received and a contractor selected, construction would likely begin in late November, after the conclusion of the current football season.

Immediately following the board's unanimous vote, the audience applauded and, after the meeting, there were smiles all around.

"I'm ecstatic," said athletic director Mark Hubbard. "I think the discussion over the last 10 to 12 months about the stadium, about the complex, benefited all involved and we've come up with the right decision.

"I know our athletes, our coaches, our students, our community appreciates the hard work our school board has done to get this approved."

The project will result in a new home side where the visitor's side once stood. In mid-August, the board -- after a report recommended the old visitors bleachers, constructed in 1965 - were unsalvageable -- voted to demolish them and replace them with temporary bleachers the district rented for the current football season.

In addition, there will be a new concession/restroom area, a new football fieldhouse and a lockerroom for the Greyhound soccer program.

Among the potential additions: another 345 seats. The base project calls for a capacity on the home side of about 2,700 -- less than the 2,900 the current home side holds. With the addition, the new home seating capacity would be 3,100.

Once complete, the current home side will become the new visitor's side.

"We're thrilled," said superintendent Bonita Coleman, herself an avid football fan who can be found in the Greyhound Stadium stands every home game. "It's a long time overdue. The stadium is over 50 years old, so we feel like we've gotten our money's worth out of it.

"We're thrilled about this new facility for our students, and also for our community, because Greyhound Stadium belongs to the community, absolutely."

Coleman added final financing will be determined once the bids come in and a final contract cost determined, although the funding will be likely be provided through some combination of the district's reserve funds and use of the state's so called "buildings and buses" fund, which allows district to borrow money for projects or capital purchases and then use up to three mills of property tax to pay off the debt.